Healthy Habits For The New Year
The start of a new year can come with a lot of pressure to reset, overhaul, and become a 'better' version of yourself overnight.
Traditional New Years' resolutions can feel motivating at first, but can quickly become overwhelming and restricting. Did you know that 88% of people fail their resolution within the first 2 weeks? It makes us wonder why. And we think that it's because they are rooted in an all-or-nothing mindset that doesn't leave room for life's unpredictability. And our resolutions are often things we think we SHOULD do (because of pressure from others, societal standards, etc.) and not things that we actually VALUE. It’s important to ensure you are enhancing your wellness in harmony with your surroundings and your reality.
At Jo Anne's Place, we believe the new year is less about drastic change and more about gentle intention. A holistic approach to the new year invited you to build healthy habits that support your body, mind, and lifestyle at a pace that feels sustainable for you. Rather than chasing resolutions, this is an opportunity to tune in, reflect, and choose practices that truly support your long-term wellbeing.
If setting goals is your thing, we support that! Just remember to keep them realistic and grounded in your values. If setting resolutions isn't for you, here are some gentler ways to step into the new year:
If you think about our external surroundings in winter, it’s cold, crisp, dry, and dark. Our internal mind, body and soul tend to reflect our surroundings. Nature slows down during the winter, so why are we expected to suddenly ramp up?
Naturally, our bodies try to hold on to everything in the winter months including weight to preserve energy and warmth, which will nourish and replenish our mind, body and soul.
Rather than working against your body’s natural responses during the cold winter months, focus on optimizing your wellness by providing whole body nourishment with the following healthy habits:
- Start a daily journal. Writing down your thoughts, dreams, ideas, experiences, trauma and every emotion or situation you encounter is a way of cleansing in and of itself. Not only are you cleansing and releasing, you are creating space for growth and new healthy thought patterns to evolve.
- A junk journal is a fun approach to journaling that also incorporates recycling/reusing! You keep things that you may otherwise throw away throughout the day (ex. receipts, coffee sleeves) and glue or tape them to the pages of your journal. This is a great way of tangibly remembering what you did and how you felt any given day.
- Warm up your digestive system. To reduce gas, bloating, constipation, abdominal pain and feeling heavy, we recommend you enhance your digestive fire, known as agni, with warming herbs such as ginger. Steep a 1-inch nugget of fresh ginger in a liter of water and drink it daily. Not only does this ignite your digestive system to create warmth throughout the body, but the digestive system is also the key holder for your motivation, drive and passion. Ginger tea with a slice of lemon is also a great option!
- Mindful movement. This does not necessarily mean that you need to go out and enroll at a gym that you might only use for the first few weeks of the year. Rather, this can be done for free in the comfort of your own home or outdoors. Essentially, this involves the movement of the body in which you remain mindful. This may sound simple and easy, but how often do you remain mindful when you are lowering down during a push up or striking through to cobra pose? Naturally, you are visualizing the end of the movement, rather than noticing each muscle, thought pattern and movement of breath that occurs throughout the movement. Yoga, pilates, walking, tai chi - these are all great options. And we know it's cold outside, but any extra Vitamin D you can soak up during the winter is beneficial for mind and body. Alternatively, try an indoor walking track like the one at the Miskin Law Complex!
- Replenish and rest the digestive system. If you are feeling full, heavy and bloated, rather than trying to cleanse the system with laxatives or cleanses, you should work on giving the digestive system rest with food that is easy to digest. This could include only eating vegetables that are steamed or fully cooked, or eating more soups and stews that have simmered down to allow for easy digestion. And including plenty of gut-healthy fermented foods in your diet.
- Mental Strength. As we Canadians know, the dark and cold of the winter months can take a toll on our mental health. Combined with the lack of vitamin D because of this, it can be difficult to maintain a positive mindset. Give yourself grace, practice self-love, and make time for the things that bring you joy. Whether that be quality time with family or friends, taking up a new hobby (or enjoying one you already have), or getting out in nature and exploring. Remember that you are not alone, and there are resources available to support you and your mental health.
Instead of rigid goals with pass or fail outcomes, many people prefer approaches that feel flexible, reflective, and supportive. These alternatives allow your wellness to evolve throughout the year - because as we know, wellness is a journey, not a destination!
- Vision Boards. Vision boards are a powerful way to focus on how you want to FEEL rather than what you think you should achieve. Whether physical or digital, they can include images, words, colours, or affirmations that represent your values, priorities, and intentions for the year ahead. Revisit your board often as a reminder of what truly matters to you - and make changes as you see fit!
- Monthly Themes. Rather than setting one big overarching goal for the year, try choosing a theme for each month - like rest, movement, adventure, or connection. For example, if February's theme is connection, maybe you are making an extra effort that month to spend time with loved ones. Monthly themes again leave space for flexibility and help prevent burnout by encouraging smaller, intentional shifts rather than drastic overhauls.
- Habit Stacking. Sustainable wellness often comes from small, consistent actions. Habit stacking involves adding a new habit onto something you already do. Such as stretching while your coffee brews or saying positive affirmations as you do your skincare routine.
- Practice Manifestation. Manifestation is less about wishing for change and more about aligning your thoughts, actions, and energy with what you want to invite into your life. Get honest with yourself about what you desire and why, and follow it up with intentional steps to make it happen. This can look like verbal affirmations, journaling, or simply setting aside a few moments every day to reflect on what you're calling in.
- Reflect. Before rushing ahead into new habits, taking time to reflect on the past year can offer valuable insight and closure. What worked? What made you feel good? What didn't? What did you learn along the way? This isn't about judgment, but about recognizing growth, resilience, and moments that mattered. It can even help to bring these questions into conversations with others - ask people to reflect on their year, and you may learn a valuable lesson from their experiences!
We invite you to change your perspective on a fresh start this year by living in harmony with your surroundings this winter and making mindful, realistic and sustainable lifestyle changes that will keep you motivated and inspired along your wellness journey.
As always, we are here to support you!
Happy New Year!
